• Harness the fighting power of toothpaste against plaque and gum disease.brush with toothpaste image by Keith Frith from Fotolia.com
  
  An important part of your oral hygiene is brushing your teeth. Thousands of bacteria feed in your mouth and cause formation of acids and sulfur particles. Toothpaste contains ingredients that work together to clean, protect and remove bacteria from your mouth.
  
  Knowing the ingredients that toothpaste contains and their purposes helps you to choose wisely among the variety of toothpastes that exists.
  
  

Fluoride

• Dental plaque forms as microorganisms and other bacterial buildup between and on the surface of the teeth. Plaque produces bacteria, which release acid that weakens tooth enamel. Toothpaste makers have used fluoride for almost 50 years as the major factor in reducing dental decay. Most toothpaste contains fluoride. It promotes a chemical effect and draws replacement minerals including calcium. By incorporating itself into this weakened enamel, the tooth gets stronger and resists future acid attacks. Fluoride also reduces the amount of acid that plaque produces. Common forms of fluoride found in toothpaste include sodium monofluorophosphate, sodium fluoride and stannous fluoride. By preventing the formation of plaque you also greatly reduce your risk of gum disease.
  
  

Antimicrobial Agents

• Triclosan and zinc chloride or zinc citrate are two kinds of antimicrobial agents that fight bacteria. Triclosan causes injury to the cell walls of the bacteria resulting in their death. Zinc, sometimes introduced as zinc chloride or zinc citrate, slows down the metabolism of bacteria, preventing their growth in the mouth. Killing bacteria in the mouth reduces the occurrence of cavities and gum disease and helps prevent bad breath. The Academy of General Dentistry believes that toothpastes that contain triclosan may kill bacteria in people's mouths better than fluoride toothpastes. A study conducted by Unilever Oral Care found that toothpastes that contain 0.2 percent zinc sulfate reduced bad breath more than toothpaste without. Since both agents kill bacteria they may also prevent gingivitis, the first step in gum disease.
  
  

Detergents

• Detergents help dislodge food debris and plaque caught between the teeth and from the mouth. Common detergents sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and ammonium lauryl sulphate create a foaming action. Detergents foam, keeping the toothpaste in your mouth as you brush. Otherwise, the toothpaste would dribble out. If you experience oral irritation from canker sores, look for toothpaste that excludes this ingredient.
  
  

Abrasives

• The average toothpaste contains about 20 percent abrasive. Abrasives such as calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphates, silica and alumina polish stains that appear on teeth from consumption of dark drinks and other foods. They also remove plaque. Mild abrasives also help remove food debris without damaging tooth enamel. Alternatively, some toothpaste contains sodium bicarbonate, or baking powder, that gently scours the teeth and prevents plaque and also removes stains from coffee, tea and other foods. Sodium pyrophosphate also prevents the formation of plaque when used on a regular basis.